Pet profession

“I was working for a leather firm,when once,I came across a piece of leather with some animal fur on it. One of my colleagues informed me that that was the leather of a horse in New Zealand. That was the day that changed my approach towards leather,” says Sawhney,who approached PETA in search of an alternative for leather. “This was in year 2000 when PETA had just started in India. I asked them if they had a job for me and by August 2000,I had started working for PETA,” she says.

Sawhney,who shifted to Mumbai from Delhi to work with PETA,adds,“I never knew love for animals could be turned into a career. But working with PETA made me realise that caring for animals extends much beyond being vegetarian. PETA gave me answers and the rights to fight for what I believed. Now,I have logical explanations for the argument that plants also should not be killed. Unlike animals,plants do not have a central nervous system and they do not suffer pain while being killed.”

Being associated with PETA since its inception,Sawhney is satisfied with the successful journey of her organisation. “It was our report last year about the milk production that exposed the kind of tortures that cows have to face due to milk production. Calves are denied the right to their mother’s milk and are left to die a terrible death just to be able to produce more milk for human beings. In 60s India would have to import milk. Today,if we are the largest producers of milk,it is at the cost of these animals,” says Sawhney.

Similarly Sawhney effectively counters the food-chain argument given by those in favour of animal slaughter,“The animals in the slaughterhouses – be it chickens,pork or for that matter the cows – are bred for our own selfish uses. For example,the normal life of a chicken is 10-12 years,but they are killed in six weeks. When are we going to stop giving senseless arguments to cover up our own wrong doings?” she asks.

Having shifted the PETA headquarters from Mumbai to Pune to avoid traffic snarls that prevented them from reaching animals in danger in time,Sawhney is all ready with her POA for Pune that includes ban on camels and horses in the city for which the petition has been signed. “Other than that some of our plans include- investigation of the fish industry,transportation of chickens,ban on horse carts and so on.On a personal front I want to write a book on my experiences with animals and also join politics so that I can impart momentum to animal rights from the right place,” she declares.